NZEI welcomes review of school interventions

Immediate release
12 November 2013

NZEI welcomes review of school interventions

NZEI Te Riu Roa says it welcomes the Minister of Education’s announcement that there is to be a review of the way commissioners and limited statutory managers operate within schools.

National Secretary Paul Goulter says there appears to have been a significant number of cases where ridiculously high costs have been placed on schools as a result of intervention.

And he says funding has been taken directly from children’s learning in order to pay the costs of these appointments.

“So this must have an effect on the ability of the school to provide a quality education. It is totally unfair – both for the children and staff.

“We have been concerned for some time that there has been a lack of oversight by the Ministry of Education and schools have been left financially crippled by the costs of these interventions.

“The system has given Commissioners total free rein leaving schools, parents and principals unable to question decisions or costs.

“We have been concerned that the system incentivises commissioners or LSMs to draw the intervention process out and some have been in place for questionable lengths of time.

“And we now hope that the Ministry will work in collaboration with the sector to ensure that the terms of reference for the review will address the concerns that we have been raising.”

ENDS

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